Romney Deck-Stacking At CPAC?

Mitt Romney has a real problem, and despite denials, it’s clear that he has a real problem with conservatives. It’s so bad that he met with a number of conservative leaders at the CPAC conference in Washington DC on Thursday, for a meeting in the presidential suite of the Marriott Wardman Park where the CPAC is holding its annual conference. According to CNN’s report, this meeting included thirty influential Republicans. With a private list of attendees, one can see why Romney would keep it quiet, and this makes it clear that despite all the denials of Romney and his campaign, they understand that they’re in serious trouble with conservatives, and this may be the start of his attempt to bring reluctant conservatives along.

I doubt this will be all that successful, because while he may appeal to so-called “conservative leaders,” I doubt how influential they will be if they suddenly appear before conservative audiences pushing Mitt Romney. For any of those who participated, this is a danger too, because it’s just as likely in this volatile election cycle that conservative grass-roots activists will merely see such moves as evidence that the alleged “conservative leader” has sold out to the establishment, and the secret truth is that they will be right.

I’m having a good deal of difficulty viewing Ann Coulter in anything but a negative light since she’s essentially jumped the shark with respect to the GOP field, and also in her views of late on such issues as Romneycare. Conservative activists are on the look-out for evidence of precisely this kind of shift, and even if it is not so bombastic as Coulter’s has been, it will nevertheless be noticed by the party’s conservative base. The base is clearly sick of the negative attacks, and also the way in which the establishment has been actively shoving Romney down their throats, so if they persist in this practice and now co-opt other conservatives in an attempt to sway the base, I can see the wheels coming off in a hurry.

If the head of the NRA or other representatives of that organization now come out and make pro-Romney statements forgiving for his earlier anti-second amendment positions, that organization could well suffer because most conservatives now know they can simply pack up and move to a different organization(like Gun Owners of America) that holds the same positions, only more staunchly, but do not get into bed with politicians who have sold them out previously. While Romney is scheduled to speak Friday, so is Ann Coulter, and it remains to be seen as to how the latter, particularly, will be welcomed by the crowd. Coulter may catch a little heat. If so, she deserves it.

One of the reasons this was kept quiet is because it is precisely the sort of acknowledgment of the Romney problem with conservatives he and his campaign have been denying all along. If this is seen widely for what it is, a blatant attempt to ingratiate himself with high profile conservative leaders, it will be a signal in part about Romney’s desperation. The longer this race goes on, the harder it is going to be for Romney to sew up the nomination in advance of the convention, and he had hoped to be further along on less money than he is at present. He’s spending money like water, and it’s going to take a toll on his opponents, but the problem is that no matter what he does, the nagging facts about his less than stellar history as a conservative probably means he’s going to fight this to the bitter end. It’s a yoke he has earned, and he’s not likely to cast it off easily.

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Gail

I'll be watching those two sell-outs on CPac…for no other reason than to see what the crowds reaction is to them, in the audience.

Pathfinder

If the republican party nominates Romney; they lose my vote. If need be, I will write in a candidate. I will NOT just stay home because we NEED more true conservatives in congress, both house and senate. But I absolutely refuse to vote for ANY RINOs.

http://www.markamerica.com MarkAmerica

With you on this.

Scott

Totally agree!!!!

http://gravatar.com/terimwal terimwal

I agree. I am no longer willing to hold my nose and vote. But I will participate in the other races.

http://www.facebook.com/kathy.mial Kathy Mial

Same here.

eyetooth tom

So everybody here will not vote if….all sorts of reasons.
It's a long long time from February to November. Didn't a guy sing that song way back yonder? Sammy Davis Jr.? Kidding of course. It was Dean Martin. :)
Better keep kicking the can down the road rather than let libs pick it up and squish it and put in the trash bin of history. Can contains freedom, liberty, and the Constitution.
Sorry, whoever, whatever, just hope and change from 2008. That's my take. Keep kicking if necessary, don't let libs pick up the can.

http://www.tnwahm.blogspot.com tnwahm

I totally agree. Sitting out this election is NOT an option. Mittens on his worst day is better than BO/BS on his best day. I will vote for Elmer Fudd if he's the Republican nominee and will crawl over broken glass to vote for Mittens if necessary. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to fight to nominate Newt, just that the bigger picture is defeat of BO/BS and the utopians. November 2012 is one of the beginning battles. No matter who the nominee is we'll have lots of work to do to rollback what the left has enacted not just in the last 3 years, but the last 50+.

eyetooth tom

Tnwahn, wish sitting was a choice. Not so, even Palin said so yesterday. Her comments may be taken she is open to a brokered convention, but she said come together.

Kinda hard to come back to previous articles and comments, but glad to see yours.

Sue

I agree. The RNC and DC elites continue pushing the likes of McCain lite on us with their decades old mantra that a true conservative can't win. Of course, that's bologna. Yes, we still had a few million wayward Rino voters in 2010 which left the Senate in the hands of the LIBs, but those same voters sent a bullhorn message to the RNC et al when they did a elbow grease cleaning in the House. Still, the lets force feed Republicans once again with our guy didn't sit well from the beginning. Romney's numbers could never reach over the 25-27% mark nationally, and in my opinion, that's when people like Ann Coulter began their push. But this is where the big miscalculation began.

Even though true conservatives weren't buying Romney, he still retained a number of them in fear that he was the only guy that could beat Obama. Then as the Rino drumbeats got louder and louder pushing him, those same true conservatives began their support of Newt, and now Santorum and this is where the back room meetings began in earnest … big time. The keynote speaker in that room stood to an attentive audience and said … Oops, what now.

I join all conservatives in the I'm not holding my nose any more crowd, but must admit that I struggle with that decision for the same reason that has always applied. My non vote will indeed be a vote for Obama. However, there's something I struggle with more. How many times am I going to hold my nose for their guy which continues to send the message of see, I told you in the end the voters would accept him.

It's been fun I have to say watching all the *expert* pundits stumble over their words while trying to come up with any reason why their guy is not doing well, and also how *our guy* could never beat Obama. Really? But they keep saying that in the end ALL Republicans will stick together to insure an Obama loss. So which is it. Either we'll come together in the end, or we won't. They can't have it both ways.

We need bold, gargantuan changes in DC on all fronts and we won't get them if we, as voters, don't change our ways and candidate choices. As one *conservative* TV, Radio and Print media personality after another began to back Romney, the conservative voter began to recoil. They have become incensed, and felt down right betrayed. Oddly enough, this has helped us in my view. I have learned that the toughest decisions in life will usually bring the greatest benefit in the end, and this is one of the biggest for me. No, I refuse to hold my nose any longer.

Our Republic is very, very sick, and I will not stand around and do nothing. I'll accept any prayers that my decision was the correct one :)

See you at the convention … :)

Doug Procter

Romney is much like Obama, he'll do or say anything for a vote. Obama is just a more efficient ly lying SOB

http://gravatar.com/carlirwin12 carlirwin12

This article and all of your comments are disturbing, and what is disturbing is not that all of you feel this way, but that you have been forced into these positions for the simple fact that the GOP refuses to abide by conservative principles and to offer people up for office that hold to those principles.

http://www.thebookofsarah.com j.a.agibinik

How can anyone who has seen and heard mittens on such topics as guns, abortion, healthe care…..believe him? You have given us many videos of mittens saying…..blah,blah,blah on one video, then on another, he says the opposite. How can you believe him on conservatism when you see his debate with killer kar kennedy? Please. Whatever. I have more beliefs in the neighbors dog pooping in my yard, than I do in believing in mittens repealing obummercare. Get rid of all RINO's!!!!!
Palin/West 2012

Sue

carlirwin12 … That's it exactly.

http://dancinggal@yahoo.com dancer

WE ALL MUST VOTE AGAINST OMUSLIM OR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY WILL BE NO MORE IF YOU DON'T VOTE THEM WE WILL BECOME A MUSLIM NATION WITH HUSSEIN OBOMA OUR GRAND IMMAN . BURKA'S FOR ALL THE LADIES AND BEARDS FOR ALL MEN

Sue

As I watched and anticipated Newt's speech, it was clear to me that this speech in this venue would be a defining moment, and Newt knew that as well. And, so did Romney and his people so there is no doubt in my mind that the audience was indeed packed for him for the applause effect. However, the applause effect between Romney and Newt was undeniably different. Much different. The many standing Os were genuine for Newt, spontaneous and many.

I agree 100% that the powers that be in that hotel room were brainstorming, but in panic mode. If they indeed come out for their guy Romney, what has been clear to true conservatives all along would then be clear to those who have yet to *get it* and the election wheels would then fall off Romney's wagon in the eyes of the voter.

I had absolutely no concerns about Ann's speech. I've heard it before on several occasions and I was sure she would only regurgitate her same, *Romney IS a conservative* mantra that has already turned off conservatives all over this country.

And yes, Mark, it's Sarah Palins day and another defining speech in this venue. We will indeed hold on to her every word/phrase in the hopes of finally hearing in what direction she wants this to go, and with whom. I have often said that endorsements are timed for maximum effect for the most part, and I can only guess that's where Sarah's head is as well. I feel, rightly or wrongly she's waiting until after Super Tuesday so when she hitches her name with a choice, it'll take off at a gallop pace

Sarah, of all people sees the dire straits our Republic is in …. what and who will, with the help of a conservative Congress will begin the long process of undoing, and turning it around. In fact, my guess is she not only knows who that person is, but has known it all along.